


Maybe all we are is fools with hearts that tried too hard

by Zola206



Series: Family lives (and dies) in the strangest of people [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Everyone Needs A Hug, Kind of a fix-it, Lots of Tony and Natasha friendship, Some Peter angst, Some feels, This is my way of coping with Endgame, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony was dead, because I’m a sucker for it, because Tony Stark is immortal, but know he’s not, endgame spoilers, like major spoilers, tony being a bit of a dad, you can fight me on this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-03-29 22:47:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19029505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zola206/pseuds/Zola206
Summary: EDGAME SPOLIERSLIKE MAJOR SPOLIERS———After Tony died he thought that would be it. He thought he would go to hell or purgatory (because he doesn’t deserve heaven) or maybe just experience nothing.He never thought that he might be considered a hero. Or might have a second chance.





	1. And maybe that’s just fine

**Author's Note:**

> So endgame gave me feelings and how I deal with those feelings is reading/writing fan fiction.
> 
> The title of the work is from ‘maybe i’m afraid’ by: lovelytheband. The chapter titles will also be lyrics from that song because they are my favorite band.
> 
> Rated T for like one swear.

When Tony Stark closes his eyes, he expects to never see anything again. He expects blackness or maybe some sort of heaven. More likely hell because Tony doesn’t deserve peace.

What he doesn’t expect to see is Yinsen standing in front of him. He still looks the same, balding head, wire glasses, and gray beard. Tony looks around to see that he’s standing on top of a pond and the sky is orange. There is nothing else besides Yinsen, the pond, the orange sky, and him.

“Hello Tony,” Yinsen said. Tony blinked a few times.

“How are you here? You’re dead, Yinsen. Am I dead? And where am I for that matter? Is this hell because I expected more fire and brimstone than this. It can’t be heaven either, not nearly enough naked people.” Yinsen just smiled at Tony.

“I am not this Yinsen you speak of, I am more...” Not-Yinsen thought out what he was going to say, “I am more the guardian of a crossroads that few get to meet. I often appear as the first person who you considered a mentor. This Yinsen is that person for you. Walk with me.” Not-Yinsen turned around and started walking away from Tony. Tony jogged and caught up.

Tony wasn’t in his armor anymore. Instead he was in an AC/DC t-shirt and jeans. All of his wounds were healed too. He was also surprisingly well rested.

Not-Yinsen started speaking again. “Only the truest of hero’s ever pass through here. You are the second one in a very long time.”

“Who was the first?” Tony asked, curious and hopeful that it was who he thought. Not-Yinsen gave a small, knowing smile.

“She was a fighter. And a giver. The universe is normally unforgiving when it comes to matter involving the soul stone. But for her, a woman who defied her own destiny and sacrificed herself so that her found family could be happy, the universe made an exception.”

Natasha had been here.

The news hit Tony like a bag of bricks. Contrary to popular belief, he and Natasha were actually very close. After she apologized for her original misjudgment of character, Tony and her became great friends. She would come down to the lab and read a book or paint her nails or sharpen her knives while Tony was working. Tony would come up to her floor and they would have movie nights which would turn into venting nights. They were family. Natasha was one of the only people who Tony trusted with information about the arc reactor. Tony was the one of the only people who knew about her past.

Only they knew about the visions that Wanda gave them. Natasha forgave Tony for Ultron after hearing about his vision. Tony understood Natasha a little better after hearing about her time in the red room.

They both forgave each other.

They both needed each other.

Tony and Not-Yinsen wakes in silence until they came across a gate way. It red, with a tradition Japanese design and gold detailing. Bouquets of flowers were scattered all around the gate. A single lantern hung right below the middle of it. Tony walked closer to inspect it.

He noticed that carved into the support polls were names. Very few, maybe ten or so. One was in Greek, two were in Latin, another was in French (Tony was pretty sure it belonged to Joan of Arc), and a few more. One caught his attention. It was small and towards the bottom.

Tony bent down and traced the letters.

_Natasha_ _Romanoff_.

Tony smiled and bit back tears. So Natasha had been here, she had chosen a path. Now it was his turn.

“Everyone who has chosen an option has their name carved into the pillar. A way for future hero’s to remember the old.” Not-Yinsen informed him.

Tony stood up and looked at Not-Yinsen. “So, what are my options? Heaven? Hell? Purgatory?” Not-Yinsen gave that little knowing smile again. God that was annoying.

“Life or death.” Tony blinked.

“I’m sorry, aren’t I already dead?” Not-Yinsen chuckled.

“You get to choose whether to live again, to continue your old life and be the people you left. Or you can choose death, where you will go to heaven and be reunited with the ones you lost. You will live in internal peace and be able to watch over everyone. You can guide them but you will never speak to them unless they appear at the meeting point between life and death. So Tony Stark which one will you choose?”

“Which one the Natasha choose?” Tony had know. He had to know what she decided.

“She chose life. Something about unfinished business with a few people.” Tony knew what he would do.

Tony had a life. He had a wife and a daughter and a son. He had a team (a family really) and things to look forward to. He wanted to be there when Peter and Morgan get married and watch as Peter took over the company and Morgan helped him rule the world. He wanted to grow old with Pepper and one day be sitting out on the porch watching the sunset while their grandchildren are playing in the lake. He wanted to tell them stories of Iron Man’s adventures and brag about how he and Pepper met due to his calculation error.

Tony and already lived so much, he had saved the world several times, he owned a multi-billion dollar company, he lost one child, had another, and the got the first one back. He married the woman of his dreams. He had already had a life. He had already lived.

But Tony was always selfish. He always wanted more.

Tony smiled to himself. He looked Not-Yinsen in the eye and nodded. Not-Yinsen knew, in that way that all super powerful beings know everything. He knew what Tony wanted. He knew what Tony needed.

“You are a smart man Stark, I’ll give you that. Your name will forever be carved onto the pillar. You will be remembered as a hero.” Not-Yinsen was about to snap his fingers (God Tony hates snapping) but Tony stopped him.

“Earlier you said something about everyone who chose an option. What about those who didn’t choose?”

Not-Yinsen gave a tiny sad smile to Tony.

“There has only been one. The first one to ever pass through here. He didn’t want life or death and instead chose to continue on helping other heroes into the after.” Something clicked in his mind. Maybe it was that knowing smile that belonged to a man who had seen some shit. Or maybe it was because Tony knew about the need to help. 

“That one person was you wasn’t it?” Tony asked, just to confirm. Not-Yinsen only gave that annoying smile in return.

“You already know the answer Tony Stark. One last reminder before you move on: Don’t waste your life.”

That had been Tony’s mantra for the past fifteen years. Ever since that dark cave and Yinsen’s dead body, it and stuck with him.

It had been the only thing keeping him going sometimes.

It had been the only thing that he knew with a certainty was true.

—————————

Tony Stark exited that strange world the way he entered it, with his eyes closed and not a hundred percent sure what to expect.

Then, he opened his eyes and smiled.


	2. As long as you’re in my arms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry it took me a few days to get this out. I hope you enjoy!

 

Peter Parker stood in front of Tony Stark’s grave. It was down by the lake, and surrounded by several flower bushes on each side. Peter remembered reading the inscription on the stone for the first time and crying.

_Here lies Tony Stark_

_1970-2023_

_A hero, a mentor, a husband, and a Father._

Something  about that sentence was so heart breaking to Peter. He knew that anyone reading the stone would instantly think Morgan as his child. But a few people knew that Peter was his first. Him and Mr. Stark had become a small, disorganized family. He hated that he let himself become attached to another father figure. He hated that he made said father figure feel like Peter’s death was his fault.

“Hey Mr. Stark,” Peter said, his voice was shaky and his eyes red. “It’s been six months since—since you died. I-I miss you. And I’m sorry. I’m sorry for making you feel like my death was on you. Because it wasn’t. It wasn’t your fault.” Peter set down a small photo. It was his copy of the internship photo that Tony had in his kitchen. Peter had treasured that moment. Some kids (*cough* Flash *cough*) didn’t believe his internship story, so Tony made it official. Document, photo, everything. That was the day he knew that Tony had become more than a mentor to him. He had become a father. 

“It was all mine.” Peter whispered. Then he turned around and walked back towards the house. He was going to take care of the rest of his family, because he owed that to Tony.

He owed everything, _everything_ to Tony.

—————————

 

Tony woke up in a field.

He vaguely recognized the surroundings and figured that it was near the compound. Or maybe it was were the compound used to be and they managed to fix everything. There was no real way of knowing how long Tony had been gone.

So he got up and started walking.

 

—————————

His theory was correct. Eventually Tony came across some construction workers and borrowed one of their phones. He dialed the first number he remembered, which was Pepper’s.

“Hello this is Pepper Potts speaking, how may I help you?” Tony had missed her voice.

“Hey, Pep. I thought I should let you know that I’m alive. This is Tony by the way.” The line went silent on the other end. Then Pepper spoke.

“How cruel are you?” Her voice sounded shaken.

“What?”

“How cruel can you be to prank call a woman pretending to be her husband that has been dead for six months!? You are a monster! A monster!” And then Pepper hung up.

So he had been gone for six months. A little longer than he thought, but not as long as it could have been. Tony made his way to the parking lot of the construction workers and hot wired one of their cars.

He needed to get to the lake house.

He needed to see his family.

He needed to find Natasha.

—————————

Tony drove up to the lake house a day and a half later. It still looked the same as when he left. The same wood walls, the same porch. The same shimmering blue lake in the background.

“Here goes nothing,” Tony muttered to himself as he walked up the front steps and knocked on the door. After a few minutes of shuffling behind the door, it opened to reveal Peter.

Peter looked the same, but different. He hair was in their natural curly state, and his eyes were sad. In fact it looked like he had just been at a gravesite with the black button up and dark jeans he was wearing. Tony hoped in his heart that it wasn’t his. (But he knew it was). Peter stared at him for a few moments.

“You’re not real,” was what he finally said.

“I’m very much real Underoos,” Tony replied.

“You can’t be real.” Peter exploded. “I watch you die. I held you in my arms and asked you not to leave! We won! You shouldn’t have died! You can’t be alive because if you are I’ve been grieving for SIX MONTHS for nothing! Nothing!” Peter was shouting. “And if you are real then why the fuck would you wait six months to reveal yourself.” Tony deserved that. He deserved that and so much more. 

“First of all, language. Second of all, it’s complicated.” Tony said. He heard footsteps and saw Morgan walk up to stand next to Peter.

“Mommy said I should come and rescue you,” she said to Peter. Peter smiled softly at the girl.

“Considered me rescued,” Peter replied as he picked up Morgan and held her in his arms. Morgan turned to look at Tony. A smile light up her face.

“DADDY!” she shouted. Morgan wiggled her way out of Peter’s grip and latched onto Tony. “I knew you would come home. MOMMY! Daddy’s back!” Pepper came out to see what all the fuss was about.

“Morgan I told you daddy is—,” Pepper’s voice trailed off as she caught sight of Tony holding onto Morgan.

“Hey Pep,” Tony murmured. Even when she was grieving, Pepper was breathtaking. Her eyes were soft and her hair was in a messy ponytail. She was only in sweats and a t-shirt that Tony was pretty sure was his. It made him fall more in love with her. 

“You’re dead.” Pepper stated. “You are dead and you’re not coming back and you left us.” Pepper started crying. “You promised.”

“I promise Pepper, it’s me, Tony. I can prove it to you,” Tony supported Morgan with one arm as he reached into his jean pocket and pulled out his wallet. It had been in Tony’s pocket when he woke up. Magic was useful sometimes.

Tony pulled out a photo. It was Pepper and Morgan playing in front of the lake. “When I took this, It was the four year anniversary of The Snap. Morgan dragged me out of bed and demanded that we go swimming. Later we made brownies and watched Star Wars.” Pepper stared at the photo and then looked at Tony.

“How?” She breathed out.

“It’s a long story.”

—————————

Natasha was alive.

She was living in tower, she had appeared about a month ago. Clint had barely let her out of his sight for the first few days, and was still very attached to her in the following weeks. Tony was in the elevator, about to see her.

He missed Natasha a lot. She was one of the first members of his new family. She was someone who had helped him.

Tony never forgets those who helped him.

The elevator doors opened with a ding to reveal the common room. Sitting in an oversized sweatshirt and sweat pants was Natasha Romanoff. She had a book in her hands and her hair in a ponytail.

“Clint for the last time, I am perfectly fine.” She said, not looking up from her book. Tony chuckled.

“I’m offending that you think I’m Katniss,” He retorted. Natasha snapped her head up and smiled as she looked at Tony.

“Hey Stark. Did you like the afterlife?”

“Not really my style. Too orange, too... personal.” Tony Stark down on the same couch as Natasha and propped his feet up. They sat in a comfortable silence for a moment. Tony broke it.

“Who did you see?” He said it softly but Natasha heard him all the same.

“Someone who I haven’t thought about in a long time.”

“For me it was someone I couldn’t forget.” They shared a look, and then a smirk.

“You know Tony, your not that bad once you ignore the narcissism.”

“And your not that bad once you ignore the whole silent deadly assassin thing.”

It was one of their little jokes. (And one of their ways of saying ‘I love you’ with out saying it.) both of them were comfortable. Both of them were home. Both of the, were happy.

Both of them had their family, and that was all they needed.

(And a long hug, movie marathon, and venting session about the stupid vagueness/smiling of the guarding guy at the crossroads.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do y’all want me to do a one shot with Peter and Tony’s sappy and fluffy reunion with a little angst? I still might write it anyway but I want to know your opinion.

**Author's Note:**

> There will be more chapters, don’t worry I’m not THAT evil.  
> (Or am I?)


End file.
